Township officials have been receiving calls and e-mails from residents inquiring as to the status of the repairs to the bridge in the vicinity of the treatment plant, as well as the road collapse, both located on Piney Fork Road. Please be advised that Piney Fork Road is owned and maintained by PennDOT, not South Park Township. The Township has been advised that both projects will most likely be undertaken during the 2018 construction season. Residents can call the PennDOT hotline at 412-781-3260 to voice their concerns.

EASTER EGG HUNT AND BRUNCH WITH THE EASTER BUNNY - MARCH 24, 2018

On Saturday, March 24, 2018, the South Park Township Board of Supervisors and the Recreation Board are sponsoring an "Easter Egg Hunt and Brunch with the Easter Bunny" for children up to the age of 7 years old. The Easter Egg Hunt will take place outside the Community Center (weather permitting) at 11:45 a.m. with brunch (consisting of chicken nuggets, chips and a drink) starting at 12:00 noon inside the Community Center. A registration form can be obtained here. You can also find the registration form in the February edition of the Park News. Please complete the form and send it to: Colleen Dominick, Recreation Director, 2675 Brownsville Road, South Park, PA 15129. (All participants are asked to bring a nonperishable food item for the Meals On Wheels Program.)

SNOW REMOVAL

South Park Township Public Works Department will soon be actively engaged in snow removal activities for the 2017-2018 winter season. A continuing problem is that many residents are parking their vehicles on the street rather than in their driveways. This often impedes plowing within a neighborhood. All residents can be of assistance to the Public Works Department by adhering to the following guidelines:

1. Please park in the driveway of your home and not on the street during periods of snow or ice to allow for easier access by maintenance vehicles. On-street parking makes it much more difficult for Township forces to clear the streets, particularly when vehicles are parked on either side of the road.

2. PLEASE MOVE PORTABLE BASKETBALL HOOPS AWAY FROM THE RIGHT-OF-WAY OF THE STREET SINCE THESE STRUCTURES IMPEDE PLOWING AND SALTING ACTIVITIES. SOUTH PARK TOWNSHIP WILL NOT BE RESPONSIBLE FOR ANY PLAY EQUIPMENT DAMAGED DURING SNOW REMOVAL OPERATIONS.

3. When clearing driveways, do not shovel or blow snow back onto the roadway after the street has been plowed and salted. This type of action is illegal, hampers maintenance activities, and further aggravates hazardous conditions.

4. Limit travel during periods of heavy snow and ice. Stranded vehicles hinder the plowing and salting of treacherous roadways.

5. Residents who drop off or pickup their children at bus stops are asked to park as close to the curb as possible to allow for the salt trucks to safely gain access to the street.

6. An ordinance adopted in 2010 permits Township officials to declare an emergency in the event of inclement weather or other emergency conditions. Residents will be notified of the emergency via automated message, radio, and/or television. After a snow emergency has been declared, it shall be unlawful to park on the roadway if a resident's private property provides an area for parking such as a driveway, garage, and/or parking pad. Residents who violate this provision will be cited and the vehicle towed at the owner's expense.

We thank our residents for their assistance, patience and cooperation until spring arrives.

DOG LICENSES:Dog Licenses for 2018 are available at the South Park Township Administration Building, at a cost of $2.00 per license. Dog owners must present proof of the pet's current rabies vaccination verification and also complete an application form before a license can be issued. Licensing is required for all dogs six (6) months of age and older. Additional questions can be directed to 412-831-7000.

ENVIRONMENTAL DAY AT SOUTH PARK TOWNSHIP - APRIL 21, 2018

South Park Township will be holding an Environmental Day at the Municipal Complex on Saturday, April 21, 2018. The following events will take place at various locations throughout the complex and will provide residents with the opportunity to recycle electronics and documents, dispose of medication, and volunteer for the clean-up program:

Electronic Waste Recycling - 10:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. in the Public Works parking lot. RESIDENTS ARE TO ENTER VIA PARKFORD DRIVE, AND FOLLOW THE DIRECTIONAL SIGNS TO THE PUBLIC WORKS PARKING LOT. Call 412-831-7000 for details.

Document Destruction - 10:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. in the Short Term parking lot next to the Administration Building. Call 412-831-7000 for details.

Prescription Drug Collection - 10:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. at the South Park Township Police Department. Residents are encouraged to bring expired prescription drugs and over-the-counter medications to the police department for disposal rather than discarding the materials in the trash or introducing the drugs into the sanitary sewer system. Call 412-833-1000 for details.

Clean-Up Day - 9:00 a.m. to 12:00 noon - Volunteers will meet at the Administration Building. Supplies will be provided, and South Park Township's famous hot dogs will be served afterward to the clean-up volunteers. The litter collection event also provides any Township resident with an opportunity to complete mandatory community service requirements. For additional information, or if you would like to Adopt-A-Road, contact Dave Buchewicz at 412-833-8025.

NO SOLICITATION LIST

Township residents are reminded that an ordinance regulating peddling and soliciting within Township boundaries is in effect. This includes the distribution of commercial and advertising materials not received via the U.S. mail. Federal laws permit solicitation to continue until 9:00 p.m.

Residents who prefer not to be solicited may complete a "No Solicitation Request" form available at the South Park Township Municipal Building or by obtaining the "No Solicitation Request" form here. Upon receipt of the request, South Park Township will issue a "No Soliciting" sticker to the resident that can be affixed to a prominent window or door. The resident's address is also added to a list of restricted street addresses which is given to solicitors and peddlers who receive licenses from South Park Township, and also political and religious organizations. The ordinance does not apply to children under the age of 16, including Boy Scouts and Girl Scouts, who take orders for and deliver newspapers, greeting cards, candy, cookies or other products related to school functions. Any questions may be directed to the Administration Office at 412-831-7000.

Please be on the alert for strangers in your neighborhood. Report any unusual occurrences to police department personnel by calling 911.

Trash will be collected weekly on Mondays throughout the Township. Refuse is to be placed at the curb after 6:00 p.m. the evening proceeding the collection day. As a reminder to our residents, state laws prohibits electronic waste from being collected curb side. Examples of these items include computers, lap tops, televisions, printers, copiers, fax machines, etc. South Park Township hosts two electronic collection events for Township residents each year. This year, the electronic collection events will be held on April 21st, and October 20th, 2018, located at the Public Works parking lot area in the municipal complex.

Recyclables will be collected on Mondays, twice a month. Residents were sent a mailer from Republic Services in December which provides a calendar and related information concerning refuse and recycling collection. South Park Township also placed a Refuse/Recycling Calendar as an insert in the January edition of the Park News. Please remember that aluminum and bimetal beverage cans and food containers; unbroken glass (all colors); plastic milk, water, juice and soda bottles; and paperboard boxes, white office paper, magazines, newspapers, advertising inserts, phone books, junk mail, paper bags (handles removed), corrugated paper (must be tied or bundled and no longer than 3 feet in length or width and tied in a bundle) are to be placed in your bin for collection, curbside. All Township residents are requested to mark "Recycling" on containers used other than the blue Township bin. Additional 32 Gallon Recycling Bins can be purchased for $16.00 per bin at the Administration Building in the Municipal Complex.

Due to the New Year's Day, Memorial Day, and Labor Day holidays, the collection day will be on Tuesday for those weeks. Please refer to the Republic Services 2018 flyer link located on the left side of this page.

Residents can contact Republic Services directly at 1-800-464-2120 or 412-429-2600 or via e-mail at SouthParkTwpPA@republicservices.com to address any refuse/recycling/leaf waste questions or concerns. Township officials hope this will speed up the response time should problems arise. Residents can also continue to contact South Park Township at 412-831-7000 or by e-mail southparktwp@southparktwp.com as well.

SEWAGE & REFUSE BILLING: Refuse and sewer rental charges appear on one bill and are sent out on a quarterly basis. Bills are sent out during the months of March, June, September and December. If you have any questions concerning your bill, please contact the Sewage & Refuse Office at 412-831-7000.

DRUG DROP-OFF CONTAINER AT POLICE DEPARTMENT

A drop-off container for unwanted and/or outdated prescriptions and over-the-counter medications has been placed in the lobby of the South Park Township Police Department and is available to the public Monday through Friday, 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. Residents can also drop off vitamins, gel caps, and similar items which do not have to be removed from the original packaging. No syringes of any type will be accepted. Needles ("sharps") can be disposed of in the trash; however, special precautions must be taken for safety reasons. Sharps are to be placed in a container such as a plastic milk jug or coffee can with a secure lid. The lid should be taped so that it remains in place.

SOUTH PARK TOWNSHIP NAMED ONE OF THE 100 SAFEST CITIES IN AMERICA

South Park Township was ranked No. 10, in 2017, as one of the 100 safest cities in America. The Township was previously ranked No. 12, in 2016. Safe-Wise is an independent organization that analyzes FBI crime statistics as well as public safety, public health, and other criteria to determine the ranking. All communities on the list have a minimum population of 10,000 people.

SOUTH PARK TOWNSHIP NAMED BANNER COMMUNITY FOR 2017

On March 31st, County officials announced the 2017 Banner Communities. The program, sponsored by the Allegheny League of Municipalities in cooperation with the County, recognizes those communities committed to professional development, prudent fiscal management, transparency, accountability, and proactive communication to engage community stakeholders. Since its inception in 2012, South Park Township has been honored several times.

MINE SUBSIDENCE INSURANCE NOTIFICATION CAMPAIGN

The Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) is notifying property owners in areas of the South Hills of the Department's Mine Subsidence Insurance Program. The purpose of the notice is to alert property owners of abandoned coal mines beneath their property which may increase the risk of damage from mine subsidence activity. The notice will include a map that depicts undermined areas below the structure.

Western Pennsylvania was once an area of heavy coal mining activity. The long-abandoned mines can deteriorate and collapse, causing the surface area to sink. Mine substance can lead to extensive damage to walls and foundations, and in extreme cases, can render buildings uninhabitable.

Additional mass mailings will be systematically sent to other property owners across the state who are also at risk for subsidence.

Mine subsidence damage often exceeds $100,000. Premiums are approximately $0.55 cents for every $1,000 of coverage. An average policy of $175,000 would cost just $95 a year, or about $8 per month. Despite the modest cost, only about 60,000 buildings are insured statewide. It is estimated that more than 1,000,000 buildings are built over abandoned mines in Pennsylvania.

Additional information with regard to the MSI program is available at www.paMSI.org or by calling 800-922-1678.
STATE REPRESENTATIVE BILL KORTZ' SATELLITE OFFICE IN SOUTH PARK

State Representative Bill Kortz has a satellite office, in South Park, to serve constituents in the township and nearby communities. The office is located in the Administration Building of the South Park Township Municipal Complex at 2675 Brownsville Road, South Park, PA 15129. State Representative Kortz' staff will be available to assist constituents with any state related issue from 9:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. on the second Thursday of every month. For additional information, call 412-466-1940 or 412-886-2870.

In our efforts to provide more reliable communications with Residents and Businesses in the township, we have updated SwiftReach Networks, Inc. which is the township's Emergency Notification service provider. Swift911™ in its simplest form is a system that makes phone calls, email, and/or text messages to specific people or areas in the event of an emergency or for sharing important information. Any call/message you receive will have the Caller ID of 'South Park Township' or 'South Park Police Department'. It is important for residents and business owners to provide contact information, such as unlisted phone numbers, to help ensure that everyone receives emergency information in a timely manner.

If you are not receiving these calls, please CLICK HERE or click on the SwiftReach picture on the left of this page to add or update your contact information. You may also remove yourself from our list at any time. Any questions may be directed to the Administration Office at 412-831-7000.

Two South Park Police Officers have been certified as child safety technicians. The officers are able to locate recalled seats and install every type of child seat into every type of vehicle. The Township of South Park would like to extend this service to our residents. To have your child seat checked for recalls and installation problems, please call us at 412-833-1000 to make an appointment. To learn more about the program, click here.

People looking for Grove Rentals, the Golf Course, the Wave Pool, the Ice Skating Rink or the Tennis Courts should use the contact information for the Allegheny County Park "South Park" listed at the bottom of the Contact Us page or visit the Allegheny County Parks Department website at http://www.county.allegheny.pa.us/parks/. Please note that the Township of South Park is the municipality located around the Allegheny County Park "South Park".

TRI-COMMUNITY SOUTH EMS 2018 SUBSCRIPTION DRIVE UNDERWAY

The 2018 subscription drive for Tri-Community South is currently underway. The cost is $60.00 per subscriber for ambulance service. If you do not subscribe and transport by ambulance is necessary, you will be responsible for all associated costs that are not covered under your insurance plan. Call TCS at 412-831-3710 for details.